Accidents Quote by Carl von Clausewitz
“With uncertainty in one scale, courage and self-confidence should be thrown into the other to correct the balance. The greater they are, the greater the margin that can be left for accidents.”
About This Quote
Source Book: On War by Carl von Clausewitz, 1832
Balance uncertainty with courage and confidence; greater balance allows room for error.
In simple terms: Courage offsets uncertainty, creating safety margin.
Key Takeaway
Pair confidence with uncertainty to manage risk.
Themes
risk
courage
confidence
balance
uncertainty
Mood
analytical
cautious
Type
strategic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- leadership
- investment
- emergency planning
- personal challenges
- sports competition
Key Concepts
strategic thinking
psychology of fear
decision making
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you measure the right amount of confidence?
- When does caution outweigh courage?
A Different Perspective
Overconfidence can shrink the safety margin.
![“Rather than comparing [war] to art we could more accurately compare it to commerce, which is also a conflict of human interests and activities; and it is still closer to politics, which in turn may be considered as a kind of commerce on a larger scale.” quote by Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c35/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_activity_rather-than-comparing-war-to-art-we-coul_21236.jpg)
